You Cancelled Your Event, What Now?

Due to the recent pandemic, companies are being forced to cancel and postpone events all over the world. It’s for the good of the public, but it’s definitely an inconvenience for everyone involved. It’s also going to be a lot of work for the people in charge of the event. You may not know how to properly handle the situation. Here is what to do after your event was cancelled.

Keep Public Health Your First Priority

Many people make a living off of hosting events. It can be tempting in these times to put on your next event s soon as possible to start making money again. the longer you have to wait, the longer until you get to put on your next event. However, it would be even worse for business if you had your event too early and ended up endangering people. Listen to the experts and only put on your event when it is safe again in your area. You won’t get very far in business if your customers all end up dying in the pandemic because you brought them all together. We understand you want to get back to work as soon as possible, but take public health seriously. Adhere to what the experts say.

Keep Attendees Informed

People want to know what’s going on. It’s only fair to keep them informed. With such uncertainty, you may not be able to answer all questions with complete confidence right away. Be honest if you are still in the process of planning how postponed events will be handled. Always be honest and only state things if the information has been confirmed by all parties involved.

Most companies contact attendees via email. Most events require an email address when purchasing tickets, so you should have the email address of everyone, making it a sure way to reach as many of the attendees as possible.

Another good way to keep people up to date is social media. All followers will get information in real time when you post it. Social media also gives you the opportunity to interact with your attendees. Ask for their opinions on social media. Their response may help you make your next move.

Keep Sponsors Informed

Almost as important as the people who would be attending the event are the people sponsoring it. They put money into this event, and, since it’s not happening, they will want to know what’s going to happen to that money. Be proactive with sponsors to demonstrate your dedication to handling the situation quickly. The goal is to keep sponsors invested, so you want to prove there is still interest. Remind them of how great the event will be when you have it. You can also use polls on social media to ask people when they will feel good about attending the event again to help start the planning process for the replacement event.

Continue to Promote

You don’t want people to lose interest while they stay at home through this pandemic. You need to keep them engaged. One of the best ways to do this is through videos and pictures of past events. You can also just remain active on social media about the postponed event. Make it sound as exciting as possible. Many people will be hesitant to go to large gatherings, so you want people to think it’s worth going out in public.

Hold Online Events

We are not able to gather in public. However, we should focus on what we can do instead of what we can’t do. We do have the ability to connect with people online. Some events are going virtual. With help from sites like Zoom, people can join together for professional or personal reasons. You can engage with people by hosting an online event your business. This probably can not take the place of a real event, but it shows attendees and promoters you are doing your best to offer what you can for the time being.

Be Flexible

Things could change at the drop of a hat. You probably realised this when your event was cancelled in a moment’s notice. Be prepared for the possibility that might happen again. Nothing is for certain. Be sure to protect yourself for another lockdown in all contracts, and have a plan of attack if an event is cancelled again. You should also clarify on all literature that the date is pending any new outbreaks.

Offer Refunds When Appropriate

There are going to be a number of people who don’t want to attend large public gatherings after the pandemic, and you should be understanding of that. Some people may choose not to go after the fact to ensure their own health. Offer these people refunds. Some companies are only offering credit, and this may not demonstrate the appropriate level of compassion required for such a delicate situation.

Understand Your Contract

hen you plan an event, you sign contracts with a number of different people. Have these contracts looked at very closely. You may want to use the services of a lawyer to help you make your decision. Since this is a situation what can change quickly, do not make decisions until you have to. If you have time before you need to make a decision about a rescheduled even until a certain date, wait until then. You don’t want to tell your attendees news too early and end up having to change it later.

Plan Your Next Event with Safety in Mind

People will be more willing to attend the event’s new date if you make a point to be as safe as possible. Ensure that there is plenty of hand sanitiser. You should also ask patrons not to attend if they feel ill in any way. Also, increase cleaning protocol. People will feel more comfortable when they realise you are taking their health into consideration.

This pandemic has been an inconvenience for people who host events for a living. However, if you take the right steps, you can recover your losses when things pick back up. You need to make a point to communicate with everyone involved and make decisions based on what is the safest for the public at large. When we take care of each other, we all win.